To be honest, the circus died long ago. The circus parade down mainstreet in each new town, raising the big top with the help of elephants, kids wanting to run off and join the circus, all part of a better past. The 1952 film ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ is not great cinema, but captures some of the magic of the circus (and the circus was fading away even in 1952).
I was sitting with my 7 and 4 year old grandsons. Throughout the entire performance I was constantly asked, “grandpa, when will the clowns come out”. It certainly wasn’t what they expected the circus to be.
“And the trapeze guys are all high on cocaine
That they bought from a guy that used to drive the train”
I am old enough to remember their last under-the-bigtop tour.